| Mr. Zed's Reflections Contributor(s): Enzensberger, Hans Magnus (Author), Hoban, Wieland (Translator) |
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ISBN: 0857422243 ISBN-13: 9780857422248 Publisher: Seagull Books OUR PRICE: $18.90 Product Type: Hardcover - Other Formats Published: November 2015 |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Fiction |
| Dewey: 833.914 |
| Series: German List |
| Physical Information: 0.8" H x 5" W x 8.1" (0.70 lbs) 144 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Any new book by poet, essayist, writer, and translator Hans Magnus Enzensberger, one of the most influential and internationally renowned German intellectuals, is cause for notice, and Mr. Zed's Reflections is no exception. Every afternoon for almost a year, a plump man named Mr. Zed comes to the same spot in the city park and engages passersby with quick-witted repartee. Those who pass ask, who is this man? A wisecracker, a clown, a belligerent philosopher? Many shake their heads and move on; others listen to him, engage with him, and, again and again, end up at the same place. He doesn't write anything down, but his listeners often take notes. With subversive energy and masterful brevity, Mr. Zed undermines arrogance, megalomania, and false authority. A determined speaker who doesn't care for ambitions, he forces topics that others would rather keep to themselves. Reluctant to trust institutions and seeing absolutely nothing as "non-negotiable," he admits mistakes and does away with judgment. He is no mere ventriloquist dummy for his creator--he is too stubborn for that. And at the end of the season, when it becomes too cold and uncomfortable in the park, he disappears, never to be seen again. Collected in this thought-provoking and unique work are the considerations and provocations of this squat, park-bench philosopher, giving us a volume of truths and conversations that are clear-cut, skeptical, and fiercely illuminating. |
Contributor Bio(s): Enzensberger, Hans Magnus: - Hans Magnus Enzensberger, often considered Germany's most important living poet, is also the editor of the book series Die Andere Bibliothek and the founder of the monthly TransAtlantik. Seagull Books has published many of his books, including, most recently, Tumult, Panopticon, and Anarchy's Brief Summer. Simon Pare is a translator from French and German living near Zurich. Hoban, Wieland: - Wieland Hoban writes regularly for Muzik and Ästhetik and Fragmen, and the book series New Music & Aesthetics in the 21st Century. He has translated several works from German, including those by Theodor W. Adorno, Alexander Kluge, and Sibylle Lewitscharoff. |